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Search Frictions and the Labor Wedge

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  • Mr. Murat Tasci
  • Mr. Andrea Pescatori

Abstract

This paper shows that labor market search frictions do not explain fluctuations in the labor wedge per se. However, the introduction of extensive and intensive margin clarifies that measuring the MRS in terms of total hours artificially introduces procyclicality in the MRS. When the MRS is correctly measured in terms of hours per worker, the labor wedge obtained is less variable than the one of the competitive model. Finally, we show that it is possible to measure a strongly procyclical labor wedge when the actual data generating process is a search model that allows for movements in both margins.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Murat Tasci & Mr. Andrea Pescatori, 2011. "Search Frictions and the Labor Wedge," IMF Working Papers 2011/117, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2011/117
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    Cited by:

    1. Inaba, Masaru & Nutahara, Kengo & Shirai, Daichi, 2022. "What drives fluctuations of labor wedge and business cycles? Evidence from Japan," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    2. Małgorzata Skibińska, 2015. "What drives the labour wedge? A comparison between CEE countries and the Euro Area," NBP Working Papers 220, Narodowy Bank Polski.
    3. Beauchemin, Kenneth & Tasci, Murat, 2014. "Diagnosing Labor Market Search Models: A Multiple-Shock Approach," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 18(3), pages 548-572, April.
    4. Mark Bils & Peter J. Klenow & Benjamin A. Malin, 2018. "Resurrecting the Role of the Product Market Wedge in Recessions," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(4-5), pages 1118-1146, April.
    5. Cheremukhin, Anton A. & Restrepo-Echavarria, Paulina, 2014. "The labor wedge as a matching friction," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 71-92.
    6. Shirai, Daichi, 2016. "Persistence and Amplification of Financial Frictions," MPRA Paper 72187, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Epstein, Brendan & Mukherjee, Rahul & Finkelstein Shapiro, Alan & Ramnath, Shanthi, 2020. "Trends in aggregate employment, hours worked per worker, and the long-run labor wedge," MPRA Paper 99289, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    8. Keiichiro Kobayashi & Daichi Shirai, 2012. "Debt-Ridden Borrowers and Productivity Slowdown," CIGS Working Paper Series 14-005E, The Canon Institute for Global Studies.
    9. Skibińska, Małgorzata, 2016. "What drives the labour wedge? A comparison between CEE countries and the Euro Area," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 148-161.
    10. Keiichiro Kobayashi & Daichi Shirai, 2017. "Debt-Ridden Borrowers and Economic Slowdown," CIGS Working Paper Series 17-002E, The Canon Institute for Global Studies.
    11. Kobayashi, Keiichiro & Shirai, Daichi, 2016. "Heterogeneity And Redistribution In Financial Crises," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(6), pages 1527-1549, September.
    12. Zhang, Lini, 2018. "Credit crunches, individual heterogeneity and the labor wedge," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 65-88.
    13. Anna Watson, 2019. "Financial Frictions, the Great Trade Collapse and International Trade over the Business Cycle," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 19-64, February.
    14. Skibińska, Małgorzata, 2016. "What drives the labour wedge? A comparison between CEE countries and the Euro Area," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 148-161.

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